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Social Welfare
WILSON 19
Objective Questions
Who Governs?
To What Ends?
 How, if at all, have
 What does the
Americans’ views of
government’s
responsibility to help the
“deserving poor”
changed over time?
 Why are some
government social
welfare programs
politically protected
while others are
politically imperiled?
Constitution mean by
“promote the general
welfare”?
 Should religious groups
be eligible to
administer some
federal welfare
programs?
Nature of Social Welfare
 Purpose of the chapter is to explain the key
features of the 2 kinds of programs
 Majoritarian: SS and Medicare

No means test, debate costs

Benefits > costs and legitimate role of government
 Client Politics: Medicaid, food stamps
 Means tested, debate legitimacy

Hidden or small costs and deserving clients
 Many other programs
Major Social Welfare Programs
No Means Test
Means Tested
 Social Security
 Temporary Assistance
 Medicare
 Unemployment

Insurance



for Needy Families
Supplemental Security
Income
Food Stamps
Medicaid
Earned Income Tax
Credit
US view of Welfare
 More restrictive view of those who deserve it
 Slower to embrace a welfare state
 Insist that states play a large role in managing
 Nongovernmental organizations play large role
 Deserving vs. undeserving poor
 Fair share of national income
 Money vs. in-kind benefits
 Charitable choice laws

Executive Office of Faith Based Initiative
Majoritarian Policies
 Great Depression emergency measures
 Cabinet Committee on Economic Security
Insurance program
 Assistance program


Social Security Act – 1935
 Politics of socialized medicine
 Adding Medicare – 1965
Democratic majorities in Congress
 Johnson’s election

Saving an Ailing System
 From 16:1 to 2:1
 Risks in private stock markets
 Inefficiencies in public health care
 Al Gore “lock box”
 Bush prescription drug plan



Medicare Modernization Act – 2003
Privatization
Universal Healthcare
Romney/Kennedy
 “Obamacare”

Client Welfare Policies
 AFDC – 1935
 States administer under federal rules
 Earned Income Tax Credit
 Believed to encourage ‘bad behavior’
 Cost and legitimacy critics
 Clients changed from widows to never-married
 TANF – 1996
 State block grant program
 Service strategy preferred to an income strategy
Reforming Majoritarian Education Programs
 Comprehensive public education
 Historically Democratic issue
 Republicans and school vouchers

Market-based solution to the problem of underperforming
schools in poor areas
 No child Left Behind – Bush
 Performance based
 Funding to top schools
 Race to the Top - Obama
 Money to underperforming schools